Photos: Fit Nation rocks Malibu

Updated 7:57 AM ET, Fri September 13, 2013

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Fit Nation rocks Malibu – The CNN Fit Nation team got an early start at the Nautica Malibu Triathlon on September 8. It was the first triathlon for all five CNN readers who were selected to train for nine months with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. From left, Douglas Mogle, Stacy Mantooth, Rae Timme, Annette Miller and Tabitha McMahon.

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Fit Nation rocks Malibu – Timme prepares to enter the water for the first leg of the race early Sunday morning. At the beginning of the year, she couldn't even put her face in the water while swimming. During the midway trip to Florida she entered the ocean for the first time.

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Fit Nation rocks Malibu – Mantooth, second from left, exits the water after the half-mile ocean swim. He was a huge fan of triathlons but had never tried doing one before joining the CNN Fit Nation team.

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Fit Nation rocks Malibu – Miller was third out of the water for the Fit Nation team, just behind Mogle and Timme. Miller has lost nearly 200 pounds over the last two years by training for different races.

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Fit Nation rocks Malibu – The triathletes learned during training how to transition from one leg of the race to the next. Here Miller prepares for the cycling portion of the race.

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Fit Nation rocks Malibu – More than 5,500 athletes participated in the 27th annual Nautica Malibu Triathlon, including several celebrities. The race raised more than $1 million for Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

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Fit Nation rocks Malibu – Mogle stays strong during the cycling leg of the race. He was the first of the Fit Nation team to cross the finish line, but says simply finishing is no longer his goal.

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Fit Nation rocks Malibu – Mantooth crosses the finish line with pride. "I've come to understand that fitness is a journey and not a destination. And I'm just getting started," he says.

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Fit Nation rocks Malibu – McMahon hugs a fan after finishing the race. During her sophomore year at Indiana University, she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, a type of inflammatory bowel disease. Since then she's had several complications and additional surgeries. She says joining the Fit Nation team has helped her regain a bit of control over her health.

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Fit Nation rocks Malibu – Timme shows off her two medals after finishing the triathlon. At 58, Timme is the oldest member of the Fit Nation team, and she's proven age is just a number. "As I crossed the finish line, I remember telling myself that I had actually accomplished something that I honestly didn't think I had the physical or mental strength to do. At that moment, I felt like I could do anything!"